Leeds United have had an outstanding run of results in the Championship this year.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: this season’s Championship promotion race will be remembered for years. You could make a compelling case that the division’s quality is not as high as it has been in recent years, but that argument will fall flat when you look at the league’s top teams.
Given the size and strength of their remarkable squad, Leicester City are essentially a Premier League team. Southampton have a team that everyone anticipated to challenge, given their own quality, while Ipswich Town, West Bromwich Albion, and even big-spending Hull City all have squads suitable of a promotion fight.
Despite that high level of talent, no one could have foreseen the scramble for advancement that we are witnessing today. If the current points per game ratio remains the same, or even improves, the side that finishes third will miss out on automatic promotion despite having scored well over 90 points. That is nearly unthinkable!
However, as Leeds, Leicester, and Southampton continue to find ways to win, this appears to be increasingly likely. The Whites’ 2-0 victory at Plymouth Argyle, with goals from Georginio Rutter and Wilfied Gnonto, returned them to second place in the table and gave the perfect reaction to Southampton’s triumph at West Bromwich Albion the night before.
Leeds did it without playing their best, instead demonstrating the type of maturity with and without the ball that is frequently required when visiting difficult venues like as Home Park, which has not seen a defeat since October of last year, and should be remembered.
Since the turn of the year, Daniel Farke’s men have won eight consecutive league games. In an eight-match winning streak, 19 goals have been scored and only one conceded, with all opponents dispatched, some with relative ease.
This is a team with goals, and it appears that since Christmas, they have been nearly tough to break down on the other end. Nobody will be afraid of me since my confidence is tremendous. At Elland Road, they are unbeaten this season, and while that record will be threatened on Friday night, you have to believe the hosts will preserve it, given the new look of this Whites side.
Leicester are a dangerous opponent, but they can be defeated, and Leeds are well aware of this. Even more so given their defeat at home to Middlesbrough the day before. Farke will be salivating at the prospect of his squad proving their worth once more, and he will be well aware that a win over the Foxes will not only scare Southampton, but may also put some pressure on the league leaders.
Friday night will not decide anything, regardless of the outcome, but you can’t help but believe the message communicated will be immensely significant in this campaign for the ages.
